


But I loved it all the same.

by serendipitouspeach



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Kara and Lena are soft idiots, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Meet-Cute, heart scrunchies, krypto the wonder dog, the bookstore au that no one asked for, two idiots who flirt over books because they're bad at communicating
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2020-11-23 06:44:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20887832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipitouspeach/pseuds/serendipitouspeach
Summary: The morning that Lena walked into her bookstore, Kara knew her story was about to change its course.orThe bookstore AU that no one but my friend and I asked for





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trash for these soft idiots and I'm a sucker for a bookstore storyline.

“Jess, can you come here for a moment please?” Lena’s voice rang out through her office, not bothering to use the intercom on her desk. 

Jess poked her head into the room where the door was slightly ajar, “Yes, Ms. Luthor?” 

Lena’s gaze remained on the file in her hands as she spoke, “Can you move my 1PM up to 12:30 and see if R&D has time to meet this afternoon as well? These reports are a mess and I need to get it sorted out as soon as possible.” Lena sat back in her chair and let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing her hand along the back of her neck. A headache had been brewing all morning and the disaster of a report she was reading wasn’t helping.

The secretary stepped into the office, glancing up at her boss worriedly. She tapped a few times on the tablet in her hands, pulling up her schedule.

“Ms. Luthor, your afternoon is fully booked- if I move up your 1PM you won’t have any time to eat and there wo-,”

Lena shook her head, “Do it anyway, these reports need to be fixed,” She continued paging through the stack of paper in her hands. 

Jess sighed looking down at her tablet again; Lena’s schedule was a nightmare. She had back to back meetings for three hours followed by a conference call and now a potential consult with R&D. Not to mention the hours of paperwork she knew her boss would be doing late into the night; well past a reasonable hour for the workday to end. 

Jess looked up at Lena whose eyebrows were furrowed in concentration as she held her pen between her teeth, eyes flitting back and forth across the contract in her hands. The secretary nodded once to herself, scrolling through Lena’s calendar and making a mental list of the calls she’d need to make.

Determined, she straightened her posture and cleared her throat. “Ms. Luthor?”

“Hm?” Lena’s eyes didn’t move from the paper in front of her.

Jess resisted the urge to fidget and stood her ground. “Lena put the contract down.”

Lena lifted her head to look at her secretary, “What?” 

Jess took a deep breath, “You heard me,” she lifted her chin, “Put the contract down, you’re taking a break.”

Lena let out a laugh, “Jess-,”

“No, this is non-negotiable. Your schedule is insane, Lena; you need time to breathe. You can’t just keep booking yourself solid and working these ungodly hours.” Jess stepped closer and set her tablet down on Lena’s desk.

“Running a multi-billion dollar company doesn’t exactly come with built in breaks, Jess, you know that. I can’t afford to be doing anything less than I already am.” Lena looked down at her desk covered in files and mountains of paperwork.

Jess crossed her arms and lifted an eyebrow, rivaling the look her boss gave multiple times a day.

“You’re uptight and constantly stressed and you haven’t gotten a full night's sleep in months. You have worse eating habits than a picky child and a college student combined and god knows you haven’t dated anyone since you moved here from Metropolis.”

Lena’s head whipped up, “Jess!”

Her secretary sat down in the chair opposite her desk and leaned forward, “Look, Lena, I care about you okay? This isn’t healthy. You’ve successfully launched the company in a new direction and our profit has been steadily increasing for two quarters now.”

Jess reached forward and took Lena’s hand in hers, “Feedback from the public shows positive reception to your new initiatives and L-Corp is in a stable place. You can afford to take a break.”

Lena shook her head, feeling her cheeks flush “I could fire you for saying all of that, you know.”

Jess’ face softened, “You won’t though. You love me and how efficiently I manage your life.” She smiled, winking at her boss and Lena couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“So,” Jess clapped her hand against her leg and Lena jumped, “You’re taking a break!”

“Jess-,” The secretary sent her a glare and she shrunk back in her seat. Jess stood, tapping her tablet before turning it to show her boss.

“Look at that! Your schedule is totally open for the next two hours, what a coincidence.” She smiled sweetly and started making her way toward the door.

“Jess, wait-,” Lena stood up from her desk.

Her secretary turned to her, eyes softening, “There’s a lovely bookstore over on 2nd. I heard they have a great science section and I think some fresh air would do you good.” She smiled genuinely before disappearing back into the hallway, the door closing gently behind her.

* * *

Lena pulled her coat closer to her chest as she walked down the block toward the bookstore Jess had mentioned. It had been a while since she’d walked anywhere in National City. (_ if she were honest, it had been a while since she’d been anywhere but L-Corp and her apartment _)

Jess was right, walking a few blocks in the fresh air had given her a few moments of peace and quiet to clear her head. She hadn’t realized how little she’d actually explored the new city she lived in and made a mental note to send Jess some flowers as a thank you for the push out the door.

Lena arrived in front of the storefront whose sign read _ Argo City Books _and took a deep breath before pushing the door open. She glanced up as the bells attached to the door rang above her.

“Hi, there! Welcome to Argo City Books.” A female voice called out from further inside the shop. Lena stopped inside the doorway and looked around. The bookstore was fairly small and had a cozy feel to it. As expected, there were shelves upon shelves lined with books, each section differentiated by hand-painted signs hanging from above. There were chairs and couches nestled in corners and a few tables here and there for people to sit and read or study.

Lena felt the tension in her neck begin to melt away as she let her shoulders relax. Books had been her solace growing up; reading was one of the few activities Lillian approved of. While her reading material was restricted to “respected classics and literature” (_ Lillian’s words, not hers) _ she was still able to find comfort and safety in the stories she devoured. Even when it seemed like everything else around her was falling apart.

She stepped further into the shop and looked over to the front counter where she saw a woman with blonde hair stacking books into her arms. When she turned around Lena felt her breath get caught in her throat; the woman had the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. They were hidden behind a pair of dark frames resting on her nose, but her eyes were soft and her expression was warm.

Lena opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a small thud behind the counter and the sound of claws scrambling against the floor. The woman’s face morphed into something of panic as she dumped the books in her arms onto the counter and reached forward.

“Krypto, no!” she yelled, stumbling as a flurry of white fur slipped past her, rounding the corner toward Lena. Kara launched herself around the counter and dove to take hold of the dog’s collar as the white ball of fluff took up residence at Lena’s feet.

“I am so sorry,” Kara said, kneeling next to Krypto.

Lena hesitated for a beat, glancing down at the woman, before kneeling down to pet the dog on his head, scratching lightly behind his ears. He practically shook from excitement, his tail wagging furiously against the floor.

“It’s alright.” Lena said, smiling softly as Krypto leaned into her hand.

Kara’s face flushed as she looked up at the woman in front of her, “I’ve been trying to train him to stay behind the counter but clearly that’s not working too well.”

Kara stood and Lena followed, Krypto having finally calmed down enough to sit mostly still. Kara felt her face heat up again as she took in the beauty of the woman standing in front of her. She was impeccably dressed, clearly coming from a corporate environment, with her dark hair pulled back and a deep red painting her lips. Kara suddenly felt underdressed in her own store and nervously reached up to adjust her glasses.

“I’ll, uh- I’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you while you browse. Let me know if I can be of any help.” She smiled gently and found a similar softness in the green eyes looking back at her. Lena nodded, holding the woman’s gaze for a second before wandering off toward the sign marking the science section.

* * *

Once she found the set of shelves she was looking for, Lena let out the breath she was holding. There was no doubt in her mind that Jess had an ulterior motive for sending her to _ this _ bookstore in particular. She knew Lena put her dating life on the backburner after everything with Jack and her subsequent move to National City. Lena _ knew _ Jess had been to this shop before and she _ knew _ that Jess was almost as calculated as herself.

Lena pulled out her phone and shot a quick text to her secretary:

_ I know you sent me to this bookstore because you thought I’d find the owner attractive. _

Almost instantly, the three bubbles popped up showing that Jess was typing back.

_ Two birds, one stone, Lena ;) _

Lena rolled her eyes at Jess’ antics. She couldn’t deny that the store owner was attractive. Her beauty was clear, from the deep blue of her eyes to her kind voice, she just gave off an overwhelming sense of warmth. It was refreshing and nerve wracking at the same time.

Peering at the rows of books lining the shelves in front of her, Lena marveled at the size of the science and tech section. For a small bookstore, there was a surprisingly thorough selection of material. She tried to focus on reading the titles in front of her but her mind kept drawing back to the blonde woman at the front of the store.

Images of clear blue eyes and rosy cheeks were painted in her mind and more than once she had to shake her head in an attempt to focus.

Looking through the titles in front of her, Lena realized that a couple of them were relevant to the current projects she was working on. She pulled one from the shelf and paged through it, running calculations in her head and trying to remember the equations she had scribbled on the whiteboard in her lab. 

A soft nose nudging her leg finally broke her concentration. She blinked, refocusing on her surroundings and looked down to find Krypto standing next to her, tail wagging happily.

Lena let out a small laugh and reached down to scratch the dog’s ears again. She closed the book she was holding and turned to make her way back to the counter with Krypto trotting at her heels.

Lena took a deep breath as she approached the counter, preparing to see the woman again. Kara was working her computer and Lena could see crinkle between her eyebrows, a clear sign that she was deep in concentration. Her bottom lip was pulled between her teeth as she typed away, completely unaware of Lena’s presence.

Suddenly nervous, Lena cleared her throat and said, “It seems your dog has taken a liking to me.” Kara looked up from her computer and Lena’s breath caught in her throat. The afternoon sun coming through the window was hitting her perfectly, bringing even more warmth to her face.

Kara groaned, cheeks turning a light shade of pink, “I am so sorry- I honestly didn’t even hear him get up. He’s just so sneaky sometimes I really am trying to trai-”,

Lena relaxed, reassuring the woman, “It’s fine, really, he’s sweet.” Kara looked down, the sheepish look from before returning to her face.

“So,” She said, pushing her glasses up her nose, “Did you find what you were looking for?” Kara nodded toward the book in her hands. Her hands were fidgeting in her lap and her expression grew hopeful. She almost looked…nervous?

Lena looked down at the book in her hands, remembering what she was actually here for.

“Oh, uh, yes actually! I’m really impressed with the selection you have in science and tech,” She handed the book over so Kara could ring up the purchase. 

She smiled sheepishly, “You can thank my sister Alex for that. She works in a forensics lab and complained that I didn’t have a wide enough array of content. So I gave her free reign and she single handedly ripped apart and pieced back together the whole science and tech section.”

Lena laughed, “Well she did a phenomenal job, I’m pretty sure that book will help me work through the mess of calculations I’m stuck on right now.”

Kara smiled as she slipped the book into a paper bag, adding a card that listed the store’s hours, “I’ll be sure to pass along the compliment.”

She handed over the bag as Lena put her wallet away, watching the woman tuck her purchase under her arm. “Thanks for stopping by and for dealing with Krypto, I promise he’s usually more well-behaved.”

Lena smiled down at the fluffy dog sitting at her feet, “It’s really no big deal. It was nice to meet you…” Lena trailed off, realizing the woman wasn’t wearing a nametag of any sorts.

Kara stared at the woman for a moment, holding her gaze, before realizing that she was asking for her name. 

“Oh!” Kara jumped and thrust her hand out toward the woman who shook it, “Kara. Kara Danvers, owner” She gestured to the store around her and blushed at Lena’s smirk. 

“Lena Luthor, new customer.” Lena smiled softly as Kara stuttered. She raised her hand in a small wave goodbye and made her way out of the store, bells on the door jingling above her.

  
  



	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi. It's been a while. Here's another chapter to make it better?

Lena hit send on what felt like the four-thousandth email she’d typed that day and slumped back in her chair, closing her eyes.

She heard a quiet knock on the door frame “Ms. Luthor-,”

“Jess, for the millionth time call me Lena.” She said

“Ok, Lena... are you alright?” Jess asked and Lena cracked an eye open. Her secretary was standing in front of her with a mixture of concern and humor on her face. 

Lena sat up all the way, “I’m fine, Jess, it just feels like this day is dragging on forever. If I never have to send another email again it’ll be too soon.” She reached for a stack of contracts that had been sitting on her desk since 7AM.

Jess smiled and sat down in one of the chairs facing Lena’s desk, “You could always go for a walk, clear your head.”

Lena sighed, “I’m drowning in paperwork, Jess, I don’t really have time to leave if I want to get out of here before midnight.”

“Okay,” Jess’ singsong voice caught Lena’s attention and she looked over to see her secretary looking at her knowingly. 

“I’m just saying, those locally-sourced, organic dog treats you asked me to order last week arrived this morning.” Lena narrowed her gaze.

“You’re trying to get me to visit the bookstore, aren’t you?” Lena said, crossing her arms.

Jess scoffed and stood from her chair, “As if you haven’t been thinking about it for the last week.”

Lena’s ears reddened as Jess made her way out of her office. She tried desperately to focus on the contracts in front of her but her mind kept wandering to blonde hair, glasses, and blue eyes. When she came back from her board meeting an hour later a bag of dog treats was sitting on her desk next to a piece of paper with Jess’ handwriting.

_ You’re free until 2!  
  
_

* * *

  
The bell dinged above Lena’s head as she walked into Argo City Books. She had the bag of dog treats tucked into her purse and she was doing her best not to let her nerves show as she glanced around the shop for Kara. 

“Oh- hey, uh, you’re back!” A surprised but familiar voice caught Lena’s attention as she turned to see Kara making her way out of the stacks toward the register, carrying a pile of books in her arms.

She reached up haphazardly to adjust her glasses and the stack of books wobbled in her arms. Lena lunged forward, reaching to catch the books just as they started to tip.

“Thanks,” Kara said, breathlessly and Lena found herself staring into the blue eyes in front of her for a beat longer than what would have maybe been considered acceptable.

“Yeah-” Lena stepped back and cleared her throat, “Of course. I, uh-”

Kara jumped in before she could continue, “Did you already finish the books from last week?” Kara asked, making her way to the register and setting the stack of books down on the counter. “Those were some pretty dense academic journals.”

The mention of the books snapped Lena back into reality as she remembered her motivation for coming back in the first place. 

“Yes, I did.” She let out a small chuckle, “It seems that being holed up in my lab until the early hours of the morning provided the perfect opportunity for me to plow through them.” 

Kara smiled, a bit in awe of the woman standing in front of her. “Well, you’re in luck then, if you’re looking for more material.”

Lena raised an eyebrow and tilted her head in confusion. Kara ducked her head, feeling her face flush at the action. 

She reached up to adjust her glasses again, hurriedly explaining. “Oh, uh, I’ve been putting out new stock all day. It looks like my sister ordered some new journals and they came in already. I just put them on the shelves.” Kara gestured in the direction of the shelves Lena had been looking at the week before.

“That’s perfect, actually. Please pass along my sincere thanks to your sister- those journals were incredibly helpful with my research.”

Kara smiled, her eyes softening. “I will. I’m sure she’ll be happy to know that her selections were appreciated.”

Lena nodded in thanks and lifted her hand, gesturing toward the shelves. “I’m going to go take a look.”

“Oh, of course!” Kara exclaimed, standing up from her stool behind the counter. “Just, uh, let me know if you have any questions. I’ll do my best to help.” 

Lena smiled and wandered off in the direction of the shelves, stifling a laugh as she heard Kara muttering to herself about being a rambling mess.   
  


* * *

  
Kara busied herself behind the counter for the next twenty minutes, organizing and reorganizing the supplies by the register. She knew Alex would tell her she was being silly, puttering around when there was stock to be put away. But it was her duty as the shop owner to be around in case customers had any questions.

And maybe the fact that Lena was the only customer in the store at the moment had something to do with it, maybe not. If Alex asked, Kara would deny it; she was simply being a good shop owner.

As she tidied, her thoughts drifted once again to the dark-haired woman who’d occupied her thoughts for the past week. The moment Lena had walked into the store that morning, her heart stopped. She’d been thinking of her all week and trying, but failing, to convince herself that the longing she felt to see her again was just to follow up on the books she’d purchased.

But it wasn’t just the books; it couldn’t have been. All week long, Kara had been fixated on the calming, melodic tone of Lena’s voice and how her eyes reminded her of the sea glass she used to find in Midvale. She has even been practicing what she’d say to Lena the next time she had the chance to talk to her. And yet she’d still rambled, still made a fool of herself. Kara shook her head, straightening the stack of books in front of her once again.

“Where’s Krypto?” Kara jumped, Lena’s voice shaking her out of her thoughts. Suddenly the woman was standing right in front of her.

“What? Oh! My sister took him for the day. I try to keep him out of the shop on days that I have to restock. He ate through an entire box of mass-market paperbacks when he was a puppy and it’s probably better for all of us if we don’t repeat that situation.” Kara chuckled, reaching for the stack of books Lena had placed on the counter. 

“That sounds mostly horrifying but maybe a little humorous?” Lena scrunched her face up in question. 

Kara smiled, and nodded her head seriously. “Oh, both, definitely both.” 

Lena laughed and warmth spread through Kara’s chest at the sound. It was just as beautiful as her voice and Kara immediately wanted to hear it again.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be back misbehaving and making me look bad the next time you stop by.” Kara reassured her. Lena chuckled, raising an eyebrow and Kara felt her mouth go dry.

“Oh? And what makes you think I’ll be back again?” Lena questioned boldly. Feeling a surge of confidence that she wished she’d had earlier. 

The warmth from Kara’s chest immediately flooded to her face, eyes widening as she looked between Lena and the book she’d been scanning into the computer. She searched Lena’s face for any sign that she wasn’t serious and saw a slight quirk of her lips.  _ She was joking. _

Kara let out a breath, the pressure in her chest fading. She met Lena’s gaze and did her best to raise her own eyebrow.

“With the rate you’re going through these journals, I  _ know _ you’ll be back. Besides, I know for a fact, thanks to Alex, that this is the only shop that carries them locally.”

Lena’s smirk turned into a full blown smile, and Kara could’ve sworn that she saw a tinge of pink dust across her cheeks.

Kara felt her own confidence grow as she continued ringing up Lena’s selections. 

“Don’t tell me all you read is academic literature. You’ve gotta throw some fiction in there sometimes, don’t you?”

Lena’s cheeks reddened as she looked down at her hands, expertly avoiding Kara’s gaze. 

“What! No fiction? Lena, how can you not get bored of this stuff?” Kara held up one of the books and Lena’s head shot up, mouth agape. 

“Excuse me, that is fascinating material. Academic literature is a critical aid to the advancement of my research.”

“Mhm, it’s also extremely boring if it’s the only thing you read.” Kara quipped, sliding off her stool and rounding the counter. 

Lena scoffed, both surprised at Kara’s boldness and embarrassed at her lack of diverse reading material.

Kara walked over to one of the shelves labeled “Classics” and ran her hand along the line of novels before stopping at one and pulling it free. 

“There’s nothing wrong with nonfiction, but sometimes you just need a good story. This is one of my favorites.” Kara held up the book and Lena looked at the title.  _ Persuasion  _ by _ Jane Austen. _

“Ever read it?”

Lena shook her head, feeling the flush rise up to her ears.

“Perfect. It’s on the house as long as you tell me what you think of it the next time you stop in.” Kara smiled as she slipped the books into a bag and slid them across the counter.

Lena shook her head in awe, “I suppose you’ve caught me there, Kara. I have no excuse not to come back now.” She nodded in approval.

Kara grinned bashfully, dropping her gaze to the counter and adjusting her glasses. “I’ve got to keep customers returning somehow.” 

Lena reached for the books when she suddenly remembered the dog treats. 

“Oh!” She exclaimed, startling Kara as she reached into her purse for the bag. 

“I uh, saw these and thought Krypto might like them. You were really helpful last time and he was so sweet and I just thought that maybe-”

“Lena,” Kara interrupted her with a laugh, “He’ll love them. That was very thoughtful of you.” Kara smiled gratefully as she took the bag of treats from the CEO.

Lena reached for her books, and began to walk backward toward the door. “I’ll report back on Austen if you report back on Krypto and those treats?” Kara let out a laugh and Lena decided right then and there that seeing her smile was like looking at sunshine personified.

“Deal. Until next time, Lena.”

“Until next time.” Lena turned and exited the shop, a newfound fluttering blooming in her chest.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I didn't *intend* to wait almost three months before writing the next chapter, it just happened. I hope you're all staying healthy and doing the best you can. Hopefully this chapter brings some joy to your day :)

“Next time” turned out to be much later than Lena expected. Two days after she’d last visited the bookstore, there was a security breach in the lab at L-Corp and they lost months-worth of research data. 

Lena’s schedule had quickly become booked solid as she worked around the clock to tighten security in the lab and write up new protocol for entering research data. Her days were filled to the brim with meetings and damage control and she barely had time to go home to shower and sleep let alone have any time for trips to the bookstore.

That didn’t mean she didn’t think about it, though. In fact, her thoughts strayed to the bookish blonde more often than she’d like to admit in the weeks that stretched between visits to the shop. Jess surely noticed, as she always did, and decided that something needed to be done.   
  


* * *

  
A knock at her door pulled Lena’s attention away from the draft of an L-Corp press release that she’d been editing for the past hour.

“Yes?” She asked quietly, leaning back in her chair. Jess tilted her head and shot her a look of sympathy. Being able to tell when things were weighing on her boss was a gift in many ways, but it felt pointless when there was nothing she could do to solve the root of the problem.

“A few things: first, I brought you lunch. And, ah!” Jess lifted a hand to stop Lena from speaking, “Before you protest, it’s a salad. You need to eat and it’s green and gross and healthy, just what you like. Pick at it slowly for all I care, but eat it.”

Lena huffed and squinted at Jess, crossing her arms. Jess quirked an eyebrow that rivaled the Luthor’s and Lena sighed, “Fine. What else?”

Jess crossed the room and set the salad on Lena’s desk before taking a seat. 

“I shifted your afternoon around so your meeting with the board is now at 1:30 and is strictly limited to thirty minutes. The only agenda item is the press release and I _ will _ call in with a fake Accounting crisis if it goes past 2:00.” 

Lena smiled, letting out a chuckle, “Thanks, Jess.” 

“I also placed an order last week for those books on information security that you requested. I just got an email saying that they’re ready to pick up at the bookstore.” 

Lena chewed her lip as she looked at the stack of work in front of her on her desk. She still needed to make a pit stop at the lab before her board meeting and running to the bookstore now would be cutting it extremely close. 

Sighing, she looked at Jess and was met with the same sympathetic gaze as before.

“Would you mind picking up the books? I just don’t have time.”

Jess nodded with a smile, “I was already planning on it, I just wanted to let you know first. Want me to tell her anything?”

Jess stood from her chair and shot her boss a knowing look.

Lena felt her face redden, “Um-” She cleared her throat, shrugging. “I don’t know. That I’m sorry? And maybe just a brief explanation of what happened and reassurance that I’m not dead?”

Jess laughed, “I’ll try to make it sound more eloquent than that.” Lena rolled her eyes and shuffled her papers.

“I’ll be back by the time the board meeting starts.” Jess says and Lena hums in acknowledgement, nose already buried in the press release again. 

“Eat the salad too!” Jess calls as she’s pulling the door to the office shut behind her, barely catching the faint groan that Lena gives in response.  
  


* * *

  
Kara’s head shot up at the sound of the bells chiming over the front door. Her shoulders slumped when she saw that the woman who’d entered the shop wasn’t Lena. She hadn’t seen the woman in two weeks and she’d begun to worry. 

Of course, Kara knew that Lena had a job and a busy schedule and that frivolous trips to Kara’s little bookstore were not an essential part of her weekly routine. But, Kara had really started to enjoy seeing her and it seemed like Lena was enjoying the little breaks from her workday too. 

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and slid off her stool to greet the woman as she walked up to the counter. 

“Kara?” The woman asked and Kara nodded, slightly confused. 

“I’m Jess, Lena Luthor’s assistant.” She extended her hand with a small smile.

“Oh- Hi! Nice to meet you!” Kara shook Jess’ hand excitedly. 

“I haven’t seen Lena in a few weeks and I was beginning to wor- wonder.” Kara reached up, adjusting her glasses. “Is she okay?”

Jess smiled, doing her best to calm her excitement at the knowledge that Kara had been thinking about Lena just as her boss had been thinking of the shop owner.

“Lena’s okay, she’s just crazy busy. She wanted me to tell you she’s sorry she hasn’t been able to stop in lately. There was a security breach in the lab at L-Corp and she’s been running non-stop damage control ever since.”

Kara’s brow furrowed, “That sounds terrible. Is she getting any rest?”

Jess laughed, “When I can force her to leave the office before 10PM, sure, but she’s worn pretty thin. I had to use some forceful encouragement to even get her to think about eating lunch today.”

“What? But lunch is like the second best meal of the day.” Kara exclaimed.

Jess snorted, “Tell that to Lena and the daggers she was shooting at the salad I left on her desk.”

“Well, if it’s a salad then I don’t blame her.” Kara shook her head with a shudder. She glanced back up at Jess and her eyes widened.

“I’m so sorry, you probably came in here with a purpose other than filling me in on Lena and all I’ve done is ask you about her!”

Jess smiled again at the rambling woman, “That’s alright, I actually came in to pick up an order that I placed for her. It’s a bunch of books on information security?” 

Kara spun around and moved her chair out of the way, crouching down to grab the stack of books from the shelf below the counter. 

“Yep! I’ve got it right here.” 

Silence fell between the two women as Jess pulled out her wallet to pay and Kara rang up the books. Jess noticed that Kara was trying to work up the courage to say something, but just when she thought the blonde was going to speak, she simply furrowed her eyebrows and sighed.

“You know, Lena mentioned that you’d given her a novel the last time she was in here. Collateral for the dog treats?”

Kara’s face perked up at Jess’ words. 

_ ‘That’s it. This is perfect,’ Jess thought to herself. _

“Yeah, I uh, I gave her _ Persuasion. _” Kara’s cheeks turned slightly pink as she wrung her hands together. 

“A great choice, by the way.” Jess shot her a smile. “Anyway, I know for a fact that Lena flew through it before all this shit went down and she had been intending to come in here to talk to you about it.” 

Kara’s eyes widened and her face flushed even more, “Oh, well, that’s very kind of her. I know she’s really busy, so it’s not big deal that she can’t come in-”

Jess pulled a card out of her purse. “This is Lena’s cell number. She read that book faster than I’ve seen her read any other novel and I think she’d really like to talk about it with you. Give her a call or send her a text?”

Jess handed her the card and Kara just gaped at it, mouth open but no words coming out. 

The bells above the door chimed again, and both women turned to see who had entered. Kara let out a little yelp and Jess spun back around. Whoever had entered the shop wandered off into the shelves.

“Thanks, um, I- I will. Call, that is. Or text! Whichever she prefers. Um, actually- hang on just a sec.” Kara accepted the card and pocketed it before swiftly moving out from behind the counter. She disappeared into the shelves nearby and came back a moment later holding a small, white paperback. 

The blonde reached up to adjust her glasses, something Jess recognized now as a nervous tell.

“I know she probably doesn’t have much time to read at all, but could you give this to her anyway? It’s another one of my favorites, and I know it was written for kids, but I think she might enjoy it.”

Kara handed over the book and Jess set it on top of the stack she was already holding. It was a copy of _ Matilda. _Jess smiled, this woman knew Lena better than she thought she did.

“I’ll hand-deliver it.” Jess assured her. “I’ve got to get back now, but think about what I said! Lena could benefit from another person checking in on her.”

Kara nodded and smiled nervously as Jess left with a wave, waiting until the door shut behind her to let out the breath she was holding. 

She pulled the card from her pocket and ran her hand through her hair, unable to stop the growing smile from taking up her face. 

“Alex?” She called, “I saw you sneak in here!”

Her older sister peeked her head around the corner, checking to see if the shop was empty. 

“Who was that?” She asked, crossing the floor to stand near her sister. 

“That was Jess, she’s Lena’s assistant.” Kara couldn’t help the smile that grew on her face once again.

“Oh?” Alex said, knowing that her sister had brought up Lena’s absence in the store multiple times in the past two weeks. 

“Mhmm, she said there was a data breach at L-Corp and that Lena’s barely been able to get away from work. But, Alex! She gave me Lena’s number and told me to call her.”

Kara was practically buzzing with excitement as she waved the card in front of her sister’s face. 

“Way to go, Kar!”

“I mean, I didn’t do much, but give her a book that Jess said Lena flew through. Do you think it’s too soon if I call tonight to ask what she thought of it?” Kara’s eyebrows scrunched in worry and Alex could see the telltale crinkle forming on her face.

Alex’s demeanor softened at her sister’s worry. “Kar, her assistant gave you Lena’s number for a reason. I’m sure Lena would appreciate you reaching out, it seems like she’s had a long few weeks.”

Kara nodded, chewing her lip. She looked down at the card in her hands for a moment and then back up at her sister. “I added a copy of _ Matilda _ to the order Jess picked up for her. She liked the last one I picked and I thought she might like that one too.”

Alex slung her arm around her sister’s shoulder, pulling her into her side. 

“I’m sure she’ll love it, it’s the perfect comfort book.” 

Kara smiled and leaned into her sister. “Thanks, Alex.”

The older Danvers hummed in response, giving her sister’s arm a squeeze. 

“So, lunch?” Alex asked after a moment. 

“Ugh, yes!” Kara exclaimed, pulling out of her sister’s grasp. “I thought you’d never ask!” 

Alex rolled her eyes as her sister ducked behind the counter to grab her coat and bag.

“You have a one track mind, Kara Danvers.” Alex said, shaking her head. 

Kara flipped the sign to ‘Closed’ as the two exited the store, reaching down to lock the door. 

“Food deserves the utmost attention, Alex. It’s second only to family and Krypto.” Kara’s tone was serious as she stood up, pocketing the keys. 

Alex just laughed and linked her arm with Kara’s as they made their way down the block to Noonan’s for lunch.  
  


* * *

  
By the time 7:00PM rolls around, Lena hadn’t left her desk since the board meeting ended. Her nose was buried in paperwork and the few times Jess had come in to check on her, she’d waved her off with a quick “I’m fine!” 

She let her head fall into her hands, digging her palms into her eyes. She could feel a headache blooming behind her eyes and she knew that it would only get worse as the night went on. 

“Lena?” Jess knocked on her door frame just as Lena was rummaging in her desk drawer, looking for her glasses. 

“Do you know where my glasses are?” Lena asked in response, still shuffling through the drawer. “And the nice scotch I swore was in the liquor cabinet but that seems to have disappeared?”

Jess walked over to the shelves that lined the wall closest to the balcony and scooped up her glasses case. Nudging Lena’s arm to get her attention, she handed her the case and shook her head.

“Headache?”

“Yes, thank you.” She accepted the glasses and padded over to her bathroom to take out her contacts. Her heels had come off hours ago after her last meeting of the day.

“Any chance you know where that scotch went?” She called, voice ringing out against the empty office. 

Jess shook her head, depositing the stack of books from Kara’s shop and a takeout container on Lena’s desk.

“Yeah, no I’m not telling you where it went. I’ve got two tylenol, and a bottle of water with your name on it though.”

Lena flicked the bathroom light off and shot Jess a look, walking back toward her desk.

“You know, if you weren’t the only person who is able to hold my schedule and life together, I’d tell you you’re being _ very _ unjust right now.”

Jess rolled her eyes, “Would it make it better if I told you I got you takeout from your favorite Italian place?”

Lena hummed noncommittally, sitting back in her chair and shuffling her papers around.

Jess crossed her arms, “How about if I told you Kara snuck another book in with your order today?” 

Lena’s head shot up, eyes wide and Jess smirked. 

“Now, that I have your attention, take these.” Jess held out the Tylenol and the water.

Lena scoffed, “But-”

Jess lifted an eyebrow signaling that there was no room for argument. 

“Fine.” Lena relented, grabbing the tablets and washing them down with a swig of water. 

“Now, tell me what she said. How is she? Did you tell her what happened?”

Jess just smiled, taking a seat and pushing Lena’s takeout box toward her with _ Matilda _ set on top, before opening her own dinner for herself.

“She’s fine, but she clearly noticed that you hadn’t stopped in. I told her what happened and she asked about you. She wanted to know if you were getting any sleep and she was baffled when I told her I had to force you to eat lunch most days. She claims lunch is ‘the second best meal of the day.’” Jess did her best air quotes while holding a fork.

Lena chuckled, a smile growing on her face as she speared a piece of broccoli in her takeout container. 

“I feel terrible that I haven’t been able to stop in.” Lena said, taking a bite of her food.

“She understands, Lena. Besides, she added that extra book just for you. She’s clearly thinking about you just as much as you’ve been thinking about her.”

Lena’s cheeks reddened as she reached for the novel sitting on top of the stack. 

“I remember hearing about this one when I was a kid, but I never read it. Lillian had strict rules about which books were deemed suitable for reading and this wasn’t one of them.”

She turned the book over in her hand, scanning the text on the back. 

“Kara said it was one of her favorites.” Jess added, quietly.

Lena’s face softened, a smile ghosting across her lips. She set the book down, making a mental note to block off time to read it over the weekend. She picked up her fork again and went back to picking at her dinner. 

A lull of silence fell between the two women as they ate, both of them relishing in the few minutes of peace and quiet after another long, busy day.

“I also gave her your number.” Lena choked on her food, letting out a muffled “What?!” as she reached for her water, gulping down a huge sip.

Jess shrugged, feigning disinterest. “I thought you could both use a push in the right direction. She was asking about you and you’ve been pining over her all lonely in your office for the past few weeks.”

“Jess, I have _ not _ been pining.” Lena refuted. Jess silenced her with a look. 

“Listen, I told her you flew through the first book she gave you and that you had been planning on stopping by to talk to her about it anyway. I merely suggested that she start that conversation with you over the phone in the meantime!”

Lena’s face was now bright red and her dinner lay forgotten on the desk in front of her. Flustered, she ran her hand through her hair as she searched for any form of a response to what Jess had told her.

Before she could find the words, her phone chimed from somewhere under the papers on her desk. Both women froze and looked toward the sound. Lena scrambled through the mess and grabbed the device, seeing the screen lit up with one new message. 

_ **Unknown Number, 7:34 PM: ** _

_ **Hi! This is Kara Danvers, from the bookstore. Your assistant gave me your number, I hope that’s okay.** _

Another text comes in before Lena could respond

_ **Unknown Number, 7:34 PM:** _

_ **I wanted to say thank you for the dog treats you gave me a few weeks ago! Krypto loves them. ** _🐶♥️🍪

Attached is a photo of what Lena assumes is Krypto, but it really just looks like a blurry, white fluff ball.

“Jess! It’s her! What do I do?”

Jess’ eyes widened and she set her food down on the desk.

“What did she say?” Jess leaned forward, peering at the screen. 

“She told me it was her, and said thank you for the dog treats I gave her. Then she sent a picture of Krypto.”

Jess smiled at the photo and looked up at Lena. “Just say you’re welcome, and maybe comment on the photo? Something simple.”

Lena scrunches her eyebrows and draws her bottom lip between her teeth. She taps out a quick response and hits send before she can think too hard.

**Lena Luthor, 7:36 PM:**

**Of course it’s okay, it’s good to hear from you. Tell Krypto he looks quite handsome; I’m glad he likes the treats **🙂

She lets out a breath and sets her phone back on the desk, groaning. 

“I don’t know how to do this, Jess.” 

Her assistant snorted, “What, text?” Lena shot her a look.

“You know what I mean. This-,” She gestured vaguely at her phone, “Casual talking, texting stuff. Jess you’re my only friend and you’re also my employee. I’m pretty lacking in the socialization department right now.”

“You’re overthinking this, Lena. It’s just a text. She’s clearly interested in getting to know you more, and you, her. Just start from there.”

Lena’s phone chimed again and she picked it up.

_ **Unknown Number, 7:39 PM:** _

_ **I heard you finished Persuasion- maybe I could call you and we could catch up and talk about what you thought of it?** _

“She wants to call me!” Lena panicked, looking frantically over at Jess.

“This is your chance! Tell her you’re free this weekend. I blocked off your entire Sunday so you could get some sleep anyway, so nothing’s on your schedule.”

“Okay, okay. I can do this.” Jess did her best to hide her smile as she watched Lena type a response.

**Lena Luthor, 7:41 PM:**

**I’m free Sunday, say 2PM?**

  
  


_ **Unknown Number, 7:41 PM:** _

_ **Perfect. I’ll call you then. Get some rest! ** _ **💤** **😴 🌙**

“She’s going to call me at 2 on Sunday.” Lena said, nervously chewing her lip.

Jess smiled, picking up the phone from where it was sitting on the desk. She scanned the texts and nodded to herself. 

“Good for you! I’ll add it to your calendar.”

Lena let out a breath, slumping in her chair. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to shake out some of her nervous energy.

“But, Lena, sweetie,” Jess continued, “We’ve got to work on your flirting skills. You’re the only person I know who can use a semicolon _and_ an emoji in the same text.”

Lena groaned and threw a hand over her eyes, knowing that she wasn’t going to hear the end of it any time soon. Jess just snickered and added Kara’s number as a contact in Lena’s phone, before swiftly airdropping herself the number too.

She set Lena’s phone back on the desk and picked up her tablet from where she'd set it off to the side when she came in.

“Come on, boss, let’s talk about your schedule for tomorrow. Ain’t no rest for the wicked.”


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We got bloopers and deleted scenes, and I finally sat down to write. I hope you enjoy it.

By the time Saturday rolled around, Lena couldn’t have been more grateful that Jess had blocked the entire next day off. In the few days since she’d gotten that first text from Kara, she had been working nonstop to finish damage control after the data breach in her lab.

Between drafting press releases, outlining new security protocols for her labs, and meeting with investors, she’d managed to find slivers of time to text Kara and they held a steady conversation leading up to their scheduled phone call on Sunday afternoon.

Between messages, Kara had sent a photo of new stock that had arrived at the bookstore on Thursday, followed by a flurry of photos of Krypto, including a selfie of the two with well-wishes for a ‘Happy Friday.’

Lena responded as best she could, checking her phone between meetings more often than she used to-- something that did not go unnoticed by Jess. She even sent a photo of the salad Jess had gotten her for lunch on Friday after Kara asked if she was eating regularly.

Late Saturday night, just after Kara had crawled into bed, her phone pinged. 

**Unknown Number, 11:17 PM:**

**She finally crashed 💤 --Jess**

Attached was a photo of Lena slumped over at her desk, head resting on her arms and surrounded by paperwork.

**Unknown Number, 11:18 PM:**

**Don’t worry, I woke her up and sent her home a few minutes ago. She’s really looking forward to your call tomorrow. Just be gentle with her, she’s had a long week.**

Kara smiled softly at the protective message, and added Jess’ number to her phone.

**Kara Danvers, 11:20 PM:**

**Thanks for the heads up. She’s lucky to have someone like you looking out for her :)**

**Kara Danvers, 11:21 PM:**

**And I hope you know I’m totally saving that pic for blackmail purposes.**

  
  


**Jess (Assistant), 11:23 PM:**

**Precisely why I sent it, Ms. Danvers. Great minds think alike 💡**

  
  


Kara chuckled, saving the photo to her phone before setting it back down on her nightstand and switching off the light. She pulled the covers up to her chin, barely able to contain a smile and the flutters in her stomach knowing that she would get to talk to Lena again so soon.  
  


* * *

  
Lena was pacing her apartment, holding her phone in a death grip and checking the time every few steps. She wasn’t nervous, she was just... anxiously awaiting the phone call. Which was _ completely _ different.

_ You can do this. _ She thought to herself as she crossed the floor again, _ You talk on the phone all the time. It’s easily a third of your job. This is no different. _

_ Of course it’s different, it’s _ ** _Kara_ ** _ . _

Lena shook her head at the thought and spun around again, beginning another lap across the floor. She was four steps in when her phone began to ring and she let out a yelp, surprising herself in the stark silence of her apartment. 

She stared at the screen for a moment, looking at the photo of Kara and Krypto that she’d saved to her contact a couple of days before.

_ You can do this. _

Lena took in a deep breath and answered the call, sincerely hoping that she wouldn’t sound as nervous as she felt.

“Kara, hi!” She greeted, squinting her eyes shut at the sound of her own voice.

“Hi, Lena!” Kara’s cheery voice rang through the phone, “It’s really nice to hear your voice again.”

Lena felt the fluttering in her chest return with a vengeance, unable to hold back a smile.

“It’s good to hear your voice too.” She said softly.

“How was your week?”

Lena sighed, “It was long, but I finally finished up around 11 last night.” She moved to the couch, grabbing a pillow and holding it close as she curled her legs underneath her.

“I still can’t believe you were working that late on a Saturday.”

Lena chuckled, “That’s the life of a CEO, I suppose.”

She cringed at her own response and the beat of silence that followed, scrambling to turn the conversation away from herself.

“So, how’s the shop?” Lena drew her thumbnail between her teeth, a nervous habit she hadn’t been able to break since she was young.

“Oh you know, business as usual. I had a group hold their first book club meeting on Tuesday and I think it went pretty well. Other than that, just the typical restocking and organizing.”

Lena hummed, thinking back to the photo Kara had sent on Thursday of the stacks of books to be put away.

Silence fell between the two again and, once again, Lena felt a knot forming in her stomach; only this time it was all panic and no excitement_ . Not even five minutes in and we’ve run out of things to talk about. _

“Lena?” Kara’s voice echoed through the phone, pulling her from her thoughts.

“Yes?”

“Do you-- I mean, I love talking to you, but I just- um. Do you want to meet somewhere in person instead? I think it would feel more genuine but if you don’t want to or you can’t that’s fine too-”

Lena let out a sigh, relief flooding her chest; in-person she could do.

“That actually sounds great, I could go for a cup of coffee.”

“Really? Great! That’s great.” Lena smiled at Kara’s exuberance, imagining the blonde’s face lighting up on the other side of the phone. 

“Um, how about Noonan’s on fifth in about twenty minutes? Does that work?”

“Yeah- yeah that’s perfect.” Lena nodded to herself.

“Great! It’s a date.”

Lena froze, eyes widening. _ Shit. _

“I’ll see you soon, Lena!” Kara’s cheery goodbye rang in her ear as the call ended with a click.

_ A date?  
  
_

* * *

  
Ten minutes later, Lena was in the backseat of her car, as her driver navigated the way to Noonan’s. Jess still hadn’t responded to any of her texts and she was panicking. 

**Lena Luthor, 2:18 PM:**

JESS. SOS. I THINK KARA ASKED ME ON A DATE.

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:18 PM:**

JESS SERIOUSLY WHAT DO I DO

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:19 PM:**

HOW DO I KNOW IF IT’S A DATE

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:19 PM:**

We talked on the phone for a few minutes but it was awkward and I was nervous and then she asked if I wanted to meet in person instead and when we agreed on a place and time she said, and I quote: “It’s a date.”

Does that mean it’s actually a date or was she just saying that?????

  
  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:19 PM:**

Jess??????????

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:20 PM:**

What do I wear? Oh my god what if she hates what I look like on weekends???

What if she’s expecting CEO Lena and is gravely disappointed?!

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:20 PM:**

Jess seriously please answer!!!

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:21 PM:**

I’m going to fire you if you don’t answer immediately

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:21 PM:**

I feel like I’m going to be sick

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:21 PM:**

Ohmygodwe’realmosttherewhatdoido

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:22 PM:**

JESS

ANSWER

YOUR

PHONE

NOW

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:24 PM:**

I’m here and I can see her sitting inside. If I royally screw this up and die of embarrassment I’m blaming you.

  
  


**Lena Luthor, 2:25 PM:**

Traitor.

Lena pocketed her phone and shut her eyes, taking in a deep breath. She counted to three in her head before setting her shoulders back, thanking her driver, and making her way out of the car and into the coffee shop. 

She spotted Kara at a small table in the back with a book in hand and two plates sitting in front of her.

A massive smile flooded Kara’s face when she saw Lena. She stood and pulled out the other chair, nervously fidgeting with her hands as Lena shed her coat and took a seat.

“I uh, hope you don’t mind, but I got us each a sticky bun. They’re the best in National City.”

Lena’s eyebrow quirked, eyeing the bakery. “I can’t say I’ve ever had one before.”

Kara’s jaw dropped as she sat back down, staring at the woman opposite her. 

“You’ve got to be kidding, me.” The corners of Lena’s mouth twitched as she shook her head. 

“Well prepare to have your life forever changed, Lena Luthor.” She said with a grin, pushing one of the plates toward Lena.

Lena smirked, “Forever changed, you say?” She picked up the fork, pointing it at Kara.

Kara nodded seriously, leaning back in her chair. “I don’t lie about sticky buns, Lena. They’re serious business.”

The CEO chuckled, taking a bite of the bakery, watching the anticipation on Kara’s face grow.

She had to admit, it _ was _ amazing. An occasional pastry was one of the small pleasures she allowed herself outside of her strict “rabbit” diet as Jess so lovingly liked to call it. Now that she knew these existed in such close proximity to her office? She was toast.

“Oh my god.” Lena said, covering her mouth as she chewed, eyes wide in awe. 

Kara just smiled and raised an eyebrow that rivaled her own, “Life changing, right?”

Lena nodded, finally swallowing the bite she took. “Absolutely.”  
  


* * *

  
The women spent the next two hours catching up, only pausing briefly for Lena to order herself a cup of coffee.

Lena filled Kara in on the rest of her week, from the press releases to the investor meetings to the slim pockets of time where she was able to sneak into the lab. 

“You’re telling me you _ bribed _ the lab techs not to tell Jess that you were putting hours in in the lab after she left instead of actually going home?”

Lena’s face flushed as she took in the horrific look on Kara’s face.

“It wasn’t a _ bribe _ necessarily,” Lena defended weakly, Kara’s eyebrows rose, “I simply told them it would work in their favor if Jess never found out about it.” 

Kara shook her head, letting out a sigh of disbelief. “I can’t say I’m surprised, Jess seems like she can be intimidating when she wants to be. I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side.” 

Lena sighed, her lips quirking into a smile. “Yeah, she’s great. Always looking out for me even when I don’t know it.”

Kara’s gaze settled on the woman across the table, sweeping from the dark hair resting over her shoulder to the sharp curve of her jawline before finally meeting her eyes. They were clear and bright, shining with the slightest hint of something she couldn’t quite put a name to.

“I’m glad you have her in your corner.” Kara said, honesty lacing her words, reiterating what she’d told Jess the night before.

A light pink stained Lena’s cheeks as she smiled, “Me too.”

They held each other’s gaze for a moment before Lena looked away sheepishly, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

“So, tell me about your favorite restaurants in National City. You seem to have good taste in bakery, so I think I can trust your other recommendations.”

Kara’s face lit up at the invitation to talk about her favorite places to eat, immediately launching into a detailed account of the best lunch spots within a ten minute walk of the bookstore.

Lena settled back in her chair, hands wrapped tightly around her mug, content to absorb all of the light and enthusiasm radiating from the blonde in front of her.  
  


* * *

  
“God, Lena I talked your ear off for nearly two hours and I didn’t even ask you what you thought of the books!” They stood on the sidewalk outside Noonan’s, preparing to part ways for the evening.

Lena laughed gently, knowing that the bookstore owner’s worries were unfounded. 

“Kara, it’s okay. I had a wonderful time and you most certainly did not talk my ear off. I really enjoyed getting to know you more.”

“Really?” She asked, her uncertainty bleeding through as she reached up to fiddle with her glasses. 

Lena smiled softly, “Really. And besides,” She boldly took a step closer to the blonde, noticing a flush rise from her neck to the tips of her ears. 

“It gives me an excuse to see you again.” She reached out and took Kara’s hand from where it was worrying the hem of her shirt.

She locked eyes with the blonde, giving her hand a quick squeeze. “I’ll see you soon, Kara.” 

Kara blinked, her flush having fully risen to her cheeks by now. “Yeah-- yeah see you soon.” She stuttered, smiling dumbly as she watched the dark-haired woman walk away. 

Kara closed her eyes and let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “I am so screwed.”  
  


* * *

  
Over the next few days Lena’s schedule was swamped, but she still made time to text Kara frequently throughout the day and in the evenings. There were shared photos of Krypto and one of Kara’s meals from a lunch spot she’d recommended. Lena had responded with a rare selfie in her lab gear giving a thumbs up, captioning the image “Snuck past Jess again :)”

It was Thursday by the time Lena had caught up on most of the meetings that had been pushed back amidst the chaos of the week before. It was nearing two and she’d just finished reading over the last report in the stack on her desk, marveling at the fact that she was actually caught up before nightfall.

“Jess?” Lena asked, pushing the intercom on her desk, “Can you come in here a moment?” 

There was a firm knock on her door before Jess poked her head in. 

“Yes, Lena?”

Lena waved her in, sitting back in her chair, tapping a pen against her desk. 

“Is there anything time-sensitive on my schedule in the next few hours?” She asked nonchalantly, eyes trained on the pen in her hand. 

Jess raised an eyebrow as she sat down, glancing down at her tablet. “Nothing that can’t be rearranged, why?” 

“No- no reason, just uh, thinking of taking a walk. Maybe stopping for some coffee.” Lena answered, avoiding her assistant’s gaze.

Jess smirked, knowing exactly what Lena was skirting around. She sat back in her chair and tucked her tablet under her arm, mirroring Lena’s posture.

“Oh, really? Would this walk happen to be in the general direction of, say, a certain bookstore?”

Lena glanced up, eyes wide and cheeks colored with a deep blush. “Maybe.” She muttered.

Jess let out a snort, “Well after your ‘Is this a date?’ freakout on Sunday, I would sure hope so!” 

Lena straightened up, narrowing her eyes. “You abandoned me in my time of need.” She said seriously.

Jess scoffed, jaw dropping in disbelief “I was at a movie!”

Lena threw her arms wide, shaking her head, “Who even goes to the movies anymore?!” 

Jess just laughed at the ridiculous nature of her boss’ question. “Normal people, do, Lena. You should try it sometime. Maybe take Kara with you.” 

Lena groaned burying her face in her hands. 

“What do I do, Jess? I really like her but I don’t want to scare her off. There’s a reason I’ve been single for so long. Nobody wants to date a CEO.”

Jess rolled her eyes, poking Lena’s shoulder with her pen. “You’ve got like thirty seconds of this tiny pity party left and then you need to get over yourself.” 

Lena huffed, tilting her head up to rest her chin on her hand. “You’re not helping.”

Jess smirked, rising from the chair in front of Lena’s desk. “Sure I am, I just rearranged your schedule so the rest of your afternoon is free.”

Lena sat up suddenly, running her hand through her hair. “Wait Jess- what do I do? Just show up there? I don’t even know if she feels that way about me.” 

Jess leveled Lena with a look. “Lena, I love you and I only want the best for you. Kara would be crazy not to fall for someone as kind and genuine and brilliant as you.”

Warmth filled Lena’s chest at her assistant’s words; Jess had really become like family over the past few years and it was comforting to know that she always had someone on her side.

Lena smiled gently, “I really hope you’re right.”

Jess’ face softened as she took in the sight of her boss before her. “Come on, I’ll let your driver know you’re leaving for the afternoon and to wait for your call later tonight. Grab your coat and stop by that coffee shop over on Wells, it’s right on the way.”

Lena stood, pushing the stack of completed reports aside on her desk and making her way to the where her coat hung by the door. 

“Thanks, Jess.”

Her assistant just smiled, “No need to thank me. Now go woo your girl.” 

Lena snorted as Jess pushed her out the door, pulling it shut behind them.  
  


* * *

  
The bell above the door at Argo City Books chimed as it opened and a cool gust of air blew in. Kara shivered, looking up from the clipboard on the counter to greet the patron who’d entered the shop in the middle of the dreary afternoon.

Her face brightened when she spotted the familiar dark hair of the CEO, balancing two coffee cups and a tote bag slung over her shoulder. 

“Lena, hey! What are you doing here in the middle of the day?” Kara stood up from her stool and made her way out from behind the counter. 

Lena smiled sheepishly, giving a little shrug. “I managed to catch up on work a little early and got Jess to clear the rest of my afternoon. I stopped on my way over here and got us some drinks-- I, uh, figured you could use some warming up in this gloomy weather.”

Lena held out one of the cups for Kara to take, and the blonde accepted it gratefully.

“You didn’t have to do that, Lena.” Kara’s eyes crinkled as Lena nervously rubbed the back of her neck.

Kara took a sip of the drink and hummed, eyebrows scrunched together for a moment in a way that Lena found impossibly cute.

“Hot chocolate?” Lena nodded. 

“I suspected after our da-- _ meeting _,” Lena stumbled, “at Noonan’s that you weren’t much of a coffee drinker.” The CEO’s cheeks flushed bright red at her slip up, not wanting to call it a date before she was sure that’s what it was.

Kara’s cheeks were tinged only a slightly lighter shade of pink as she smiled again, “You suspected correctly.” 

The two women stood there in the little entrance to the bookstore for a moment, holding eye contact before Kara shook her head, letting out a nervous laugh. 

“Do you- do you want to sit for a while? Things have been pretty slow this afternoon and I don’t expect them to pick back up.”

Lena nodded, “I’d love to.” 

They made their way toward the chairs that were nestled between the shelves and Lena spotted Krypto curled up on a bed on the windowsill. His head perked up when he saw her coming and he immediately hopped down and curled around her legs, tail thumping wildly at the back of her knees.

“Hi, Krypto.” Lena laughed, setting her things down on the table beside the chair. She glanced over at Kara who nodded before kneeling to the ground and giving the fluffy white creature a scratch behind the ears. His tail went wild as he leaned into Lena’s hand.

Kara just shook her head, “Don’t be fooled by the cuteness, he ate through another box I accidentally left on the floor yesterday. There was cardboard everywhere.”

Lena smiled, patting the dog between his ears. “He’s cute enough to forgive.” 

She took a seat in the chair across from Kara’s, mirroring the blonde’s posture and curling her legs beneath her. 

“I’m really glad you stopped by,” Kara said quietly, sipping her drink.

Lena smiled, ducking her head, pulling at the cardboard sleep on her cup. “I am too.”

“So…” Kara started, drawing out the word and bringing Lena’s gaze back up to meet her own. 

“Would it be selfish to ask what you thought of the books I gave you?” Kara asked sheepishly.

Lena chuckled, setting her cup aside and reaching to pull the two books out of her bag.

“Not at all, Miss Danvers. That’s exactly why I came here; I _ did _ say it was the perfect excuse to see you again.” 

Kara laughed, feeling any residual nerves that had been there when Lena arrived, dissolving in her chest. This would be just like last time, two friends _ (Were they friends now? She thought they were friends now.) _ catching up, discussing a classic novel and a childhood favorite. Nothing to be nervous about.

“Fair enough, Miss Luthor. Which one should we start with?”

Lena smiled and held up Persuasion, “I have a lot of thoughts about this one.”  
  


* * *

  
Nearly three hours had passed before Kara caught sight of the clock and realized the time. The two women had spent the afternoon discussing the storyline of Jane Austen’s last full novel and how both of them would have given anything to have had a teacher like Matilda had Miss Honey.

Lena stretched as she uncurled her body from the confines of the chair, relishing in the quiet of the bookstore and the sense of relaxation that flooded her bones. 

She swiped up the books from where they sat on the table and held them out to Kara. 

“I suppose I should return these now that we’ve thoroughly discussed their inner workings?” She said with a smile. 

Kara shook her head, pushing them back toward Lena. “No, they’re yours. My gift to you. Just think of it as a kickstart to filling in your personal library.”

“I _ do _ own books-.” Lena laughed but Kara interrupted, correcting herself, “Your personal, non-research library.”

Lena relented with a huff, slipping the books back into her bag and tugging on her coat. 

“I’d better get home, I’m sure Jess would have my head if I spent the evening in the office after an afternoon off.” 

Kara nodded in agreement, “You better not be going back or I’ll tell her you’ve been sneaking down into the labs without her knowing.” 

Lena’s eyes narrowed, a playful grin on her lips. “You wouldn’t.”

Kara tilted her head and shrugged, “You’ll just have to find out, but I recommend you choose wisely.”

Lena bit her lip, holding in a laugh as she followed Kara to the front of the store. The blonde turned to face her, clearing her throat and wringing her hands, trying to work past the nerves that had risen once again.

“I’m really glad you stopped by.” Kara said, reiterating her statement from earlier in the afternoon. “I missed you.” She drew her gaze up to meet Lena’s, searching for any sign that her words were too much.

She found none, simply locking eyes with Lena, feeling her breath catch in her throat.

Lena’s heart was pounding in her chest as she held Kara’s gaze, not wanting the feeling-- the moment to slip away.

“I missed you too.” She breathed.

Kara’s eyes softened as she let out a breath, her whole face breaking into a wide smile. “Just hang on one sec, okay?” Kara held up a hand before scurrying off into the shelves for a moment and reappearing a few seconds later with a book. She set it on the counter and grabbed a piece of scrap paper, quickly scribbling something on it before slipping it inside the cover and closing the volume. 

She rounded the counter and took a tentative step toward Lena, hesitating for just a moment before wrapping her in a tight hug. 

Lena’s eyes widened in surprise, her body freezing for a split second before relaxing into the hug and wrapping her arms around the woman in front of her. 

The two relished in the warmth of one another before Kara broke the embrace and stepped back, holding the book out to the dark-haired woman.

“Here, the next addition to your personal library.”

Lena smiled warmly as she took the book from the blonde. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and locked eyes with Kara once more, silently thanking her.

Kara nodded ever so slightly, following Lena to the entrance and holding the door open for her.

“I’ll see you soon, Lena.” Kara said softly.

“See you soon.” Lena replied, stealing one last glance at the store owner before making her way out of the shop and starting to walk in the direction of where her driver was waiting.

She made it halfway down the block before she looked down at the book in her hands, noticing that it was a collection of Emily Dickinson poems. She gently opened the book and held up the piece of paper that had been slipped inside, reading Kara’s loopy cursive.

** _These are my favorite. I hope they can keep you company too._ **

It was in that very moment that Lena knew when it came to Kara Danvers, she was a goner.


End file.
